Page 32 of I Still Love You

Britney frowns. “Are you sure? I hate that you’re in this position.”

Claire scoffs and sinks her teeth into her banana. “I’m willing to bet she’s not hating it,” she remarks with a smirk.

If Claire were here, I’d peg my orange at her and be fully content when she cried about it. “I hate you.” I turn my attention back to Britney. “You’re my favorite sister. Have I expressed that lately?”

“The uptight worrier is your favorite?” Claire clicks her tongue, tilts her head to the side, and pretends to be hurt. “She’s totally not as entertaining as me.”

Britney ignores her theatrics. “What can we do to help you, Layla?”

I almost laugh and choke on a piece of orange at her question because there’s nothing anyone can do to get me out of this mess. I’m responsible for my outlandish tongue, even if I was trying to ward off Andrew’s cocky comments and stares.

I would be lying if I said I haven’t contemplated calling it quits ever since that morning at the farmer’s market. While Andrew didn’t say anything completely out of line, Luke didn’t step in, which is precisely why I ignored him during Sierra’s picnic. If he won’t take it seriously, why should I?

But I can’t let him win. I can’t give him the satisfaction of me walking away again. Faking it is slowly becoming about more than just Andrew.

“Uh…Earth to Layla…” Britney’s voice trails off, pulling me back to the present. “Please tell me you didn’t hear Claire’s ludicrous idea.”

I snap my eyes to the section of the screen Claire’s face is on. Eyes cast down, looking at her lunch, I notice the hint of amusement on her lips before she takes a bite of her usual chicken sandwich. “I said,” she starts, and I see Britney shift from the corner of my eye. “You should invite him to a family dinner.” Britney was right. Definitely preposterous.

I shut her suggestion down quicker than when I told Andrew that Luke was my boyfriend. “Hell no.”

“Oh, come on,” Claire pushes. “It’ll be fun.”

“Fun, my ass,” I vocalize firmly, shaking my head. “I am not bringing Luke home. Mom would have a conniption. She would think we’re really back together, and I’m not doing that to her.”

“See, I told you,” Britney agrees. “It would be a disaster.”

“What are you talking about?” Claire asks. “Mom loves Luke. She probably still considers him part of the family. Even after everything. Dad loved him, too.”

My heart aches at the mention of my dad and how his love is now past tense. We were fortunate he met Luke before he passed, and it’s not that Claire is wrong that gets me caught up in my feelings. It’s that she’s right. My parents equally loved Luke like he was one of their own. They welcomed him with open arms and were looking forward to me walking down the aisle.

“And if Mom knows that we’ve been fake dating, she’ll wonder if I’m sane enough to be a nurse.”

“So don’t tell her it’s fake.”

I shake my head and pop the last slice of orange into my mouth. “No, Claire.”

“Oh!” A buzzing sounds from Claire or Britney’s phone, but I don’t fully understand why Claire’s face brightens until she says, “Look, it’s Mom now. I’m going to answer, and we’ll tell her together.”

My palms flatten on the table, and I lean down closer to my phone, hoping like hell the hospital staff in the cafeteria aren’t paying me any attention. “Claire, no,” I hiss. “Do not ans—”

I wish I could jump through the screen and wipe away Claire’s excitement when she smiles at the camera. “Hey, Mom. Turn on your video. All of us are here.”

“Oh, really?” Her face pops up in its own corner just as I finish sending Claire a death glare. “Hi, girls. Oh, Britney, that pink top looks so pretty on you.”

Britney smiles sheepishly. Knowing Claire is going to suggest Luke come to a family dinner is as stressful to her as me. I’m thankful at least one sister is in my corner. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Claire, I thought you had off today? You’ll never guess who I saw at the grocery store…”

“Actually, speaking of seeing people. You’ll never guess who Layla reunited with.”

In the middle of repositioning her phone, Mom is too busy squinting at the screen to get the lighting right in her car to see me mouth, I’m going to hurt you, to Claire. “Oh, I always love hearing when people come back together after not seeing each other for some time. That’s what happened to me and your dad, you know.” She presses a hand over her heart, and yet again, my chest squeezes at the mention of him.

“Tell her, Layla,” Claires says.

“Yes, tell me, honey,” Mom says, directing her attention to me. “Who did you run into?”

I grit my teeth and try to hide the way my nostrils flare by rubbing a hand over my nose, which only makes my reply come out mumbled. “Luke Sacks.”

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